As Long as You Need Me
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: Bonnie is sixteen-years-old and wants to donate her toys. When Woody, Jessie and Buzzs' new owner is a pre-teen in need of someone to be there for her no matter what, what will the toys new life be like? R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the Toy Story characters. They belong to Disney. I do however own anyone you don't recognize!  
Enjoy!

A/N: This is my second Toy Story story! I Hope everyone enjoys it!

"As Long As You Need Me"

Chapter 1

Bonnnie Anderson sighed as she thumbed through a textbook. She hated science with a passion. She would have much rather have gotten an English essay to write. Writing came naturally to the six-teen-year-old and it was something she loved to do. But alas, she was stuck answering questions about photosynthesis.  
Heaving another sigh, Bonnie glanced over at her bookshelf. She smiled when her gaze landed on Woody, Jessie and Buzz. They were the only three toys she had kept from the ones Andy had given her eleven years ago. She had recently donated most of them, along with her own toys except for Trixie, to a children's hospital. She knew the kids would love them and get good use out of them. For some reason, no matter how many times her mother asked her if she wanted to donate Woody and the other two, Bonnie couldn't bring herself to do it. Whenever her mother asked her, Bonnie gave her the same answer.  
"I haven't found the perfect new home for them yet. I Promised Andy I would take care of them. I can't just give them to anyone."  
Her mother would sigh and nod.  
"I don't understand why I have to learn this stuff," Bonnie complained aloud, "I'm gonna be a social worker, not a scientist." Heaving another sigh, Bonnie's eyes returned to the book and forced herself to finish the assignment.  
Right before bed that evening, Bonnie's mother poked her head into the room.  
"Are you all set for your field trip tomorrow?" she asked.  
"Uh-huh," Bonnie replied.  
"I'll be here when you get home," her mother informed her, "in case you want to talk."  
"Mom, I'll be okay," Bonnie assured her.  
"That's what you think now. This isn't a field trip to a museum, sweetheart. You're going to a children's group home. You might see things that'll upset you."  
"I can handle it," Bonnie rolled her eyes, "I'm not a little girl anymore."  
"I know. I want you to know I'm here if you need me. I love you, honey. I'll wake you up around six."  
"I love you too. Thanks, Mom. Good night."  
"Night, honey," with that, Mrs. Anderson kissed Bonnie's cheek and left the room.  
It wasn't long before Bonnie fell asleep.

******

A few hours after Bonnie had dozed off, Woody, Jessie and Buzz, along with Trixie started talking in whispers.  
"What's a group home?" Jessie asked.  
"I'm not sure," Woody replied.  
"Maybe it's a place where groups of people stay who don't have homes of their own," Buzz suggested.  
Woody nodded.  
"You're probably right," he replied.  
"Do you think Bonnie will donate us?" Jessie questioned. Her green eyes looked to Buzz worriedly.  
"I don't know. But we'll be fine as long as we…"  
"Stick together," Jessie recited.  
"Buzz is definitely right on that one, " Woody chimed in. He sighed. "I know Bonnie's gotten rid of a lot of us over the last two years, but out of all the toys she's donated, she's kept us. Don't forget that. We must mean something to her. And even if we get donated eventually, she'll find us a good home. She found ones for the others."  
"Here's hoping bro," Jessie sighed.  
"You'll see. Bonnie will take good care of us, just like she promised Andy all those years ago," Woody assured his sister and friend.

*******

Bonnie sighed as she tried to get comfortable on the bus the next day. She never liked school buses much. They were always too crowded and noisy for her liking. Even the sound of her favorite music on her IPOD couldn't drown out the rowdy students completely.

Trying to block out the noise, Bonnie's thoughts drifted to her toys. She really wanted them to have new homes. She just had to find the right one for them. She promised Andy she would take good care of them and she was determined to keep that promise. She was also determined to keep the toys together.  
Before Bonnie knew it, her teacher, Miss Bartlet was explaining the usual do's and don'ts as the bus stopped on a street near a four story building.  
Bonnie listened with half an ear. She knew how to behave by now. She never gave teachers much trouble anyway.  
"All right everyone, stick close together and follow me," Miss Bartlet instructed.  
Following her classmates towards the building, Bonnie caught sight of flowers growing around it. This made her feel better about coming here. At least the place looked nice.  
Once inside, they were told to wait for the director of the program, Mike Tyler, to come and talk to them. It wasn't long before a man fitting Mike's description entered the room.  
"Hi you guys!" he greeted them with a warm smile and open arms. "The kids are excited to see you! Some of them are shy, so you're going to have to take things slow. When I call your name, raise your hand and I'll tell you which child you've been paired with, okay?" With that, Mike started reading out the names.  
Bonnie listened halfheartedly. She was too busy staring at Mike. He was a hunk! He had brown hair and brown eyes that made Bonnie's heart melt. Too bad he was ten years older than her or more.  
"Bonnie Anderson."  
Bonnie shook herself out of her thoughts when she heard a male voice call her name. She glanced up and met Mike's eyes.  
"I'm here," she replied, grinning at him.  
"That's good. You'll be paired with…" he glanced down at his clipboard before glancing back up at her, "…Melanie. I'm gonna put you in the capable hands of my friend, Belle and she's gonna take you to the playroom and introduce you to Melanie."  
Bonnie nodded. She stood up and walked over to a woman Mike had indicated standing near the opposite door. She had brown hair and blue eyes.  
"Hi, Bonnie, I'm Belle. It's nice to meet you. Let's see, you're with Melanie. Okay, let's go."  
"What's she like?" Bonnie found herself asking.  
"A little shy, but really sweet. She loves stories."  
Bonnie nodded. She followed Belle down a hallway and to the left. They stopped at a door on the right.  
Belle knocked once and stepped inside. She motioned for Bonnie to follow her, which the teenager did.  
"How old is Melanie?" Bonnie asked as they stepped inside.  
"She's eleven," Belle replied.  
Bonnie nodded. She smiled gently at the young girl sitting near the window.  
"Mel, there's someone here to see you," Belle started to explain.  
Bonnie had to keep herself from gasping. The girl sitting near the window looked more like nine than eleven. She had light brown hair and sparkling brown eyes.  
"Hi Melanie," Bonnie greeted.  
Melanie smiled shyly at the newcomer.  
Bonnie noticed Melanie was holding a doll close to her chest. The doll had brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.

"She's pretty," Bonnie said, sitting next to Melanie, "what's her name?"

"Sofia," Melanie replied.  
Bonnie nodded.  
"She's my best friend," Melanie went on. She smiled down at Sofia. When she gazed up at Bonnie, her expression had changed. She looked expectant, even challenging. "Go ahead."  
"Huh?" Bonnie raised her eyebrows in confusion.  
"Tell me I'm getting too old for toys," she said. There was a definite challenge in her voice.  
Bonnie shook her head.

"I don't think you're too old for toys," she said honestly.  
It was Melanie's turn to look confused.  
"You don't?"

"Nope. I played with my toys until I was a teenager. I still have some of my favorite toys in my room."

Melanie nodded.

"Some of the kids make fun of me because I take Sofia everywhere. Some of my foster parents tried to take her from me, but I wouldn't let them. She's the only friend I have." The young girl said this last part in a whisper.  
Bonnie frowned.  
"Not anymore," she smiled gently at her. When Melanie looked confused, she explained, "Now you have me."

"Tell us about your toys, please?" Melanie sweetly asked.  
Bonnie grinned.  
"Sure thing. Let's see…Well there's Woody and Jessie. They're brother and sister. Woody's the greatest friend you'll ever have. He's always there for you and he'll never give up on you. And Jessie is a lot of fun. She loves going on adventures with Woody and Buzz."

Melanie's eyes lit up.  
"Do you mean Buzz Light-year?"  
"The same," Bonnie confirmed.  
"Wow! I always wanted Woody. None of my foster parents would buy me toys after I turned ten."

Bonnie frowned. She was starting to get an idea.  
"Would you like me to read you and Sofia a story?" she suggested.  
Melanie shook her head.  
"Can you tell us one about Buz and Woody? Please?"

"Okay!" Bonnie agreed. She thought for a minute before starting her tale.

Before Bonnie knew it, Belle was back to get her. She gave Melanie a hug and told her she would see her soon.  
Belle grinned at the interaction.  
It seems like you two got along well," she commented as she lead Bonnie back to her class.  
"Melanie's a sweet kid," Bonnie told her. As they rounded the corner, Bonnie asked a question she had been wondering since visiting with Melanie. "Can I bring some toys for the children to play with. Like donate them?"

"I don't see why not. We're always looking for donations."

"Great! I have some old toys that are still in near perfect condition. Can I bring them by tomorrow?"

"Sure," Belle agreed. They had reached the waiting room by now.  
Bonnie was in high spirits as she got on the bus to return to school. She had another idea, but she would have to wait until she got home to ask her mother about it.

******

"Aww, I can't believe you beat me again!" Woody exclaimed as he put down the controller.  
"I told you I was the expert," Trixie smirked.  
"I guess so," Woody smiled at his friend to show her there were no hard feelings.  
Just then, they heard Bonnie's familiar footsteps on the stairs. Trixie quickly shut down the computer and the toys became still.

A minute later Bonnie's door opened and she entered.  
"Guess what you guys! I Think I've finally found the perfect place for you. Or if not the perfect place, definitely the perfect owner. You're gonna love her! Her name is Melanie and she's really gentle with toys." With that, Bonnie left to eat dinner with her parents. The minute she was gone, chatter broke out among the toys.  
"I told you Bonnie would find the perfect home for us!" Woody cheered triumphantly.  
"She didn't say we were all going," Jessie pointed out.  
"Jessie's right, cowboy," Buzz agreed.  
"Bonnie wouldn't separate us," Woody said confidently. "She promised Andy."

Buzz nodded while Jessie looked unsure. They would just have to wait and see what happened next…


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the Toy Story characters. They belong to Disney. I do however own anyone you don't recognize!  
Enjoy!

"As Long As You Need Me"

Chapter 2

Bonnie smiled at Woody, Jessie and Buzz as she looked them over one last time. This was it. After today, she wouldn't see them again. If Bonnie was honest with herself, she was going to miss them. But they were going to make Melanie happy, which made Bonnie feel a little bit better about giving them up.

"Don't worry, you guys," she assured them, "Melanie will take good care of you." With that, she placed all three of them into a rainbow bag with glittery stars on it. She zipped up the bag just about halfway and left to eat breakfast. Once she was gone, Woody spoke first.  
"At least Bonnie didn't put us in a box."  
"Woody has a point," Buzz agreed.  
"It doesn't matter!" Jessie shouted. "We're still being donated. Who knows where we're going."  
"I trust Bonnie. She hasn't let anything bad happen to us yet," Woody reminded them.  
Jessie didn't answer.  
"She'll be all right," Buzz put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I hope you're right," Woody sighed. He tried to fall asleep, but it wasn't easy. He trusted Bonnie wholeheartedly, but a part of him was nervous to find out where they were headed…  
It wasn't long before Bonnie returned to her room. She picked up the bag and gently carried it downstairs. Sliding into the driver's seat, Bonnie carefully set the bag onto the passenger's side.

The drive to the children's' home didn't take as long as it had by bus the day before. Bonnie and the toys reached their destination in less than twenty-minutes.

Heaving a sigh, Bonnie glanced inside the bag one last time.

"I hope you guys aren't mad at me," Bonnie said. "I really love you. You were great toys and great friends. But now it's time for you to help someone else." With that, Bonnie parked the car and picked the bag up. Heading inside, Bonnie greeted Mike at the desk. He was pouring over paperwork.  
"Hey, Bonnie! Are you here to see Melanie?" Mike asked.  
"Uh-huh. I brought some toys for her. Belle said it was okay."  
"It's more than okay. In fact, she's leaving tomorrow. She's going to her new foster home."  
Bonnie nodded. She followed Mike down the hallway to the playroom. When they made a right instead of a left, Bonnie raised her eyebrows.  
"We're going to Melanie's room," Mike explained.  
Bonnie nodded.  
Knocking on Melanie's door, Mike asked if he could come in. After Melanie gave him permission, the two stepped inside.  
"Melanie, there's someone here to see you," Mike told her.  
Melanie gazed up and smiled when she saw Bonnie standing there.  
"Hi," she greeted.  
"Hey, Mel. How are you?"  
"Okay," the child replied. Her eyes lit up upon seeing the bag in Bonnie's hand.  
"This is for you," Bonnie told her.  
"Really?" Melanie's eyes widened in surprise.  
"Yup," Bonnie smiled at her. She set the bag down in front of the young girl. "Do you wanna see what's inside?"  
Melanie hesitated.

"It's okay," Bonnie assured her. She knelt down on the floor and opened the bag herself. "Go on."

Slowly, Melanie switched Sofia to her other arm and reached towards the bag. Pulling it closer, she stuck her hand inside and pulled out the first toy she felt. She gasped when she saw the cowboy in her right hand. "Is this…is this Woody?" she glanced up at Bonnie.

The one and only," Bonnie confirmed.

Melanie nodded. Her fingers touched a string and she pulled it gently.

"You're my favorite deputy!" Woody announced.

"He talks!" Melanie giggled.

"He sure does," Bonnie smiled at her.

Setting Woody down carefully, Melanie set Sofia down next to him.

"You two get to know each other while I look at what else is in the bag." With that, she stuck her hand in a second time. This time, she grabbed Buzz, although she didn't know it just yet. Pulling her hand out again, she gasped once more. "Buzz light year!"

Bonnie nodded. She figured Melanie had seen Buzz advertised on TV a few times, so she knew who he was.

"Push the yellow button on the left side," Bonnie instructed.

Carefully, Melanie did so.

"To infinity and beyond!" Buzz cried.

"Cool!" Melanie cried.

"That's how long he'll be there for you," Bonnie explained.

"Is infinity a long time?" Melanie asked.

"It's forever," Bonnie informed her.

Melanie grinned. She set Buzz next to Woody before turning back to Bonnie.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," Bonnie hugged her. "But there's one more toy in the bag for you."

"There is?" Melanie looked confused.

"There sure is."

Sticking her hand in for a third time, Melanie pulled out another doll. Only this one was female.

"That's Jessie," Bonnie told her, "she's Woody's sister."

Melanie nodded. She hugged Jessie close before setting her down beside Buzz.

"Do you wanna play a game before I Leave?" Bonnie offered.

"You wanna play with me?" Melanie asked.

"Sure! Why not?"

Melanie shrugged.

"Come on," Bonnie coaxed, "it'll be fun. And you can see how much fun these guys are."

After a few minutes, Melanie nodded.

"Okay," she agreed. She scooped Sofia up and gave her a hug. Then she put her down again and took Woody in her left hand while Bonnie took Jessie in her right. The two played for the next twenty-five minutes. When it was time for Bonnie to leave, she knelt down in front of Melanie and gave her a hug.

"You have to promise to take really good care of them," she said, "they mean a lot to me."

"I will," Melanie said, "I always take good care of Sofia."

"I can tell. Okay, I need to get going," Bonnie stood up.

"Will I see you again?" Melanie asked.

"maybe," Bonnie hugged her one last time and left the same way she had come. Once she was gone, Mike called Melanie down for lunch.

"I'll be right back, you guys," she told them. She kissed Sofia's cheek and patted Woody's shoulder. Before leaving, she turned back to Sofia, "Sofia, you can tell Woody and the others all about me. I'm counting on you,. I Love you all. I'll be back soon." With that, she was gone. Once the door had closed, the toys came to life.

"Bonnie played with us!" was the first thing Jessie said.

"I know," Woody grinned. HE frowned just then. "Just like Andy did before he gave us to her."

"Andy will never forget any of us," Buzz assured him, "Bonnie won't either. Right now ,we have to focus on being there for Melanie. She needs us now."

"She's older than most children we've known," Jessie said.

"That doesn't matter," Woody insisted, "our job is to be there for her as long as she needs us. "

"Something tells me she's not your average kid," Buzz observed. Before he could add to his statement, a new voice joined the conversation.

'She's not. But she's the best friend you could ever ask for. She's gentle and caring and she loves every toy she meets. But most of all, she deserves your love. Not a lot of people treat Melanie with kindness. I'm her only best friend. We've been together since Melanie was six."

"How old are you?" Woody asked, ignoring Buzz's hard nudge.

Sofia giggled as a blush crept up her light tan cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I'm Sofia. I'm eight-years-old in Human years."

Woody nodded.

"How long have you two been living here?" Buzz inquired.

Sofia frowned.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," Woody said.

"No, it-it's okay. Melanie's been here since she was five. She wants a forever family, but nobody wants to adopt her."

"That's terrible!" Jessie exclaimed.

Sofia nodded in agreement.

"Does she play with you?" Woody asked.

"Sometimes," Sofia said. "Melanie likes to read to me. She loves telling stories too. She's good at it! She used to play a lot when she was younger. Ever since one of her foster mothers yelled at her for playing with me and took me away from her for a whole two days, Melanie's been afraid to play."

"That's awful!" Woody cried. "We have to do something." She's still a child. She should enjoy playtime for as long as she can."

"I know," Sofia sighed.

"What about the people who work here?" Buzz asked.

"What about them?" Sofia returned.

"Are they nice to Melanie?"

Sofia nodded.

"Most of them are. Mike's awesome and Belle is really sweet."

Woody nodded.  
"Well I guess we have our work cut out for us," Woody observed.

Jessie nodded.

"Do you think Melanie will ever play with us?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know, Jess," Buzz sighed.

"That doesn't matter," Woody insisted. "We're here to help her."

"Woody's right," Sofia agreed.

"Is there anything about Melanie you haven't told us yet?" Woody asked Sofia.

"She has lots of bad dreams. She's gotten hurt a lot, so sometimes she'll have bad dreams about it. I try to help her as best I can."

Woody nodded. He was about to say something else when the door to Melanie's room opened. The toys became still just in time.

Melanie entered the room and closed the door behind her. When she turned around, the toys could see tears in her eyes. Melanie walked over to where the toys were sitting and picked Sofia up. She hugged her close as the tears continued to fall.

"I can't wait to leave tomorrow!" she declared. Her gaze landed on Woody and she picked him up with the other hand. "At least I know you'll always be there for me." The young girl sighed, wiped at her eyes and took Sofia and Woody over to her cot. Lying down, she closed her eyes and was asleep in minutes..


End file.
